The results of a comprehensive safety assessment indicate that there are no major or immediate safety concerns at Taiwan’s three nuclear power plants, the Atomic Energy Council said February 20.
The focus of the safety inspections was to determine the emergency response capabilities of the plants in the event of a major disaster similar to that at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in northeastern Japan in March last year, the AEC said at a news conference.
As the Fukushima disaster resulted from natural forces exceeding the plant’s original design standards, the AEC has instructed Taiwan Power, which operates the nuclear plants, to implement a number of additional tsunami, flooding and earthquake safety measures.
These include raising the standard for tsunami defense by 5 to 6 meters and completing steps to seal off the seawater pumping rooms at the Guosheng and Ma-anshan plants to prevent flooding by a tsunami.
Other measures include expanding the emergency planning zones around each plant from the current 5-kilometer radius to 8 kilometers, reviewing safety measures for citizens within the emergency planning zones, and carrying out regular comprehensive planning and preparation both inside and outside the zones.
The AEC also called on Taipower to establish a national repository for potassium iodide tablets, set up temporary and long-term evacuation shelters, purchase more safety gear, expand the scope of radiation monitoring and increase communication and public education campaigns.
In addition, a multifaceted disaster response mechanism will established, and laws and regulations related to nuclear accident emergency response will be revised, the AEC said.
